A Painting A Day: Miniature Masterpieces - Small original oil paintings by Darren Maurer

A Painting A Day Project by Darren Maurer

Monday, March 22, 2010

Blue Shoe - by Darren Maurer

10" x 10"

I finished another painting for the Hawaii gallery. Click here to get to the gallery website. I'm going to call this piece "Blue Shoe". It just sounds like the title of a painting with some deep dark obscure cryptic meaning behind it. It's a cool title. Well.... I've got news for everyone......it's a blue shoe and nothing more than that. I liked the way it looked, which is how I decide on every subject that I paint. I think I will ship these five pieces halfway across the Pacific Ocean now and hope they like them. I actually did a little experiment while working on this painting. I underpainted everything first which is something I rarely do. I really like how it worked out. I will continue to use the new technique for certain subjects.

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Peanut & Chocolate m&m's - by Darren Maurer

6" x 6"

I finished two more pieces for the Bethel Street Gallery in Hawaii. My m&m's paintings have proved to be popular subjects in the past. I have painted them several times before and have even completed some commissions of this classic candy.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Dracorex Hogwartsia - by Darren Maurer

Paper size 11" x 17"

I paint, draw, and design for a living. My hobbies for fun are fishing and hunting dinosaurs. Hunting dinosaurs???? Yes, that is correct. Some friends of mine started hunting dinosaur fossils back in 2000. I joined the group in 2002 and haven't looked back since. In 2003 some members of our group found something really special. It was a previously unknown species of dinosaur. A complete upper skull was uncovered and it is one of the most incredible things I have ever seen. Looking at this fossil for the first time was an unbelievable experience. Prepping the fossil took a painstaking 5000 hours of tedious labor. Our group got to help name the new dinosaur which was eventually called "Dracorex Hogwartsia". We donated the skull to the Indianapolis Children's Museum located in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Collecting fossils and continuously learning and studying about dinosaurs is one of the most rewarding aspects of my life next to my family. The next best thing to hunting fossils for me is talking about them to others. I have lectured countless times at grade schools, colleges, universities, museums, and anyone else that is interested and has invited us to speak. I completed this pencil sketch of the skull very shortly after the fossil was finished being prepped.

We wanted to announce a new website dedicated to our dinosaur containing lots of information and background on the discovery. Check out the website at http://www.thedracorex.com/ Email me and let me know what you think. The pencil drawing is available for purchase as a lithograph fine art print hand signed by yours truly. They are available through the store section at the website or emailing me directly.

I am close to finishing two more paintings I'm doing for the gallery in Hawaii. I will finish one or two more for the gallery and get back into a somewwhat normal routine. I did get a commission job last week to paint an 8'---0" x 12'---6" original oil on canvas. Is it my imagination or is that a really big painting?? I'll keep everyone updated.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Fruit Loops - by Darren Maurer

12" x 12"

This is the second painting I've completed for the gallery in Hawaii. Click Bethel Street Gallery to check it out. I love the look of soggy fruit loops floating in the last bit of milk in the cereal bowl. The milk is a nice creamy tawny color when you get to this point of eating cereal. I am going to complete three or four more smaller paintings for the gallery and ship them to Hawaii. The others will be 6x6 and 5x5 canvases. Contact Bethel Street Gallery for purchase information.

Monday, March 01, 2010

Ice Water with Lemon by Darren Maurer

6" x 6"

My family almost always orders ice water with lemon when we are out at a restaurant. A few weeks ago we were at one of local favorites and when the ice water came I noticed how cool they looked from directly above the glass. I wanted to try a painting of an ice water from that vantage point. I love how the glass seems to rise out of the canvas toward you when viewing this painting. Something interesting to me while working this piece was how dirty, drab, and dull the color for the center of the lemon had to be before it was right. In fact, to use the term color is stretching it because the paint was a very neutral tone while on my palette. When I applied the paint to the canvas in the center of the lemon it was perfect and made the lemon look so real. I have discussed this perceived factor of color in realism painting before and I continue to be reminded of it. Lemons are yellow. I'm wrong again. Painting Sold.

Links

Miniature Masterpieces is a project involving painting and posting small original oil paintings, usually on an almost daily basis, in which I try to reflect the extraordinary within the ordinary by using everyday objects or scenes as subjects. You can receive each days painting by email by subscribing to the mailing list.

About Me

Name:Darren Maurer

Location:Sioux City, Iowa

I'm an artist from Sioux City, Iowa. I grew up in Grand Island, Nebraska and have lived in Sioux City since 1989. Visit my website at www.darrenmaurer.com to see the full volume of my work. For this blog I'm going to try to make a painting each day. I may miss a day here and there just due to that thing called life. The paintings on this blog will be small oils. (I like to call them Miniature Masterpieces.) On occasion I may post a larger painting with the dimensions listed. I'm going to use an auction format (via ebay) to sell the Miniture Masterpieces. Paintings that don't sell at auction can be seen in the archive section and can be purchased with a personal check, money order, pay pal, or major credit cards through pay pal at the listed price.